4 ms·
Up until relatively recently, a lot of laptops and even phones would put the connectors on separate PCBs connected by a ribbon, so that damaging those wouldn't
by mikepurvis 5y ago
Up until relatively recently, a lot of laptops and even phones would put the connectors on separate PCBs connected by a ribbon, so that damaging those wouldn't mean a $500 motherboard replacement.
I definitely remember ordering a replacement headphone socket board for an old MacBook and just putting it in myself, and I've done similar with, eg, the connector port board on a PS4 controller.
But I guess this is one of the hazards of Apple having their AppleCare programme— they can do the math and calculate that saving a dollar on the cost of making and mounting and connecting that extra component still makes them money even if they have to eat the occasional full motherboard in the first three years of ownership.
- ribit 5y agoIf I am not mistaken the ports on recent Apple machines are on a separate, easily replaceable board.
- sgerenser 5y agoDoesn’t appear to be the case on the 16” MBP: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook+Pro+16-Inch+2019+Teardown/128106 https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/MacBook+Pro+16-Inch+2019+Tea...
- davweb 5y agoLooking at this photo from that page it appears that they are: https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/igi/uavG2A3vFrVmwv6J.huge https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/igi/uavG2A3vFrVmwv6J.hug... You can see the ports still in place after the motherboard has been removed.
- sgerenser 5y agoInteresting, didn’t notice that. It looked like the logic board went all the way to the edges.
- mikepurvis 5y agoSeems like this stuff maybe comes and goes— like here's a repair guide for a 2010-vintage MBP which definitely shows all the connectors being right on the logic board: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Logic+Board's+Power+Input+Circuit+Repai/38688#s15095 https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Logic+Board...
- yencabulator 5y agoNot just for the easier replacement, but also to avoid translating the mechanical stresses directly to the motherboard. The separate PCB can mount in a way that lets it move a little.